MAKING THAT FIRST CONTACT

I had the opportunity to chat with CL Gammon about "Begotten With Love" on his blog talk radio program this morning. If you'd like to listen to the half hour show just click on the following link:  CL Gammon Program. CL is very charming and made me feel comfortable throughout the interview. Thank you CL for a fun half hour.

One of the questions he asked: ". . . were family members receptive?"  My experience has always been very positive. I treasure my newly found cousins and am grateful for all they've shared. It's been fun to discover personal traits we share; enjoy a poignant moment walking the path of our shared ancestors; and visiting old homesteads and cemeteries together.

If you've not yet contacted anyone my suggestions would be:

• Write a note explaining who you are and how you think you may be related (you'll be surprised how often you may receive a response) especially if you include a picture they may recognize.
• Share a story about your side of the family . . . one they may have heard and see if they may embellish it. You know how stories have a tendency to grow. My cousin could start a round of laughter when he talked about his donkey, Blue Creek Bill.
• Grandma's recipe box may open doors (and mouths) especially if you bake a batch of her favorite cookies to share.

It seems the kitchen table is still the heart of the home and the point of connecting with family is to build on relationships. Happy hunting. 

Jo Ann V. Glim is a 40 year veteran of  freelance writing and author of the eBook "Begotten With Love." To learn more:

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FINDING CLUES to the PAST

GENEALOGY    Part IV

Some men and women risked it all for the romance of a high-seas adventure. Steamship companies circulated pamphlets promising riches in the land where "streets were paved with gold." It was a heady time at the beginning of the nineteenth century, fueled by poverty and pestilence in the old country and promises of plenty in a place seen by few.

The older generation worried, not only for the safety of their children who were so far away from loved ones but for the future of the homestead their children left behind. Even if they asked themselves the obvious questions of Who would tend the fields and feed the flocks? or How would the parent's survive in their dotage? they wanted what was best for their children and were willing to sacrifice to make it happen.

There are two stories that did not make the pages of "Begotten With Love," only because they were found after the book was published. The first story was one conveyed to me by a cousin shortly before her death. She had been looking through a box of old papers stored in her attic when she happened upon this gem (circa 1894):

• Archie was determined to go to America. He arrived on her shores with a handwritten note attached to the lapel of his coat asking anyone to please help him get to the home of his son in Alabama. Archie, who had just turned 80 years old, had traveled thousands of miles by himself even though he had never learned to read. 

The other story came from Sweden.




Anna loved all eight of her children. They were the joy of her world. It was difficult to say good-bye not once but five times as all but three sought their fame and fortune far from home. She was a woman of deep faith and prayed for the best. I was privileged to read a poem my cousin found tucked in the pages of our great grandmother's recipe book. This poem, published in the latter part of the 19th century in Sweden conveyed the hearts of many parents of that era who were left behind.

MEMORIES

For the Swedish American

By:

Johan Erik Rosenberg

Along the slopes of the mountain

Grow some juniper bushes

And an oak with beautiful leaves.

Otherwise, the greenery is sparse,

Only a few old stumps from the ancestral trees remain.

From the midst of the rock's many crevices

Sounds the awful screech of an owl

In the dark of an October night,

And in the narrow valley below,

The old bridge sighs as the evening winds

Whistle through a carpet of leaves.

Seldom has a foot walked these forgotten stables from long time gone,

Where all the district's youth gathered for fun and entertainment,

On a peaceful summer evening.

Out here, I often walk, slowly.

I tire quickly for I am old.

Yet, I come here in solitude to

Recall the past. Happy moments that

Brought us all together

And I enjoy what no one else remembers.

* * * * *

I hope you blow away the dust on an attic treasure and find notes like these that inspire you to write . . . not just dates about the characters but about their life's adventures. Their legacy is your heritage. Enjoy!

Jo Ann V. Glim is a 40 year veteran of  freelance writing and author of the eBook "Begotten With Love." To learn more:

FOLLOW/Like: on Facebook or
VISIT: www.BEGOTTENtheBook.com or
BUY ON: Amazon.com/author/joannglim

THE OCEAN VOYAGE

GENEALOGY   Part III

A few weeks ago, I began sorting through the notes I had gathered during the research phase of the book "Begotten With Love." It was definitely a different time in which our forefathers lived. The challenges and  sacrifices they faced were enormous but face them they did with dignity and resolve.

For my grandmother, coming to America wasn't a matter of want as much as a matter of need.  Her family was poor but proud, industrious, and close-knit. Hedvig was the youngest of eight children. Her father labored as the caretaker of a local church and her mother took in mending.

Three weeks before Hedvig turned seventeen tragedy struck. Her father became ill and died suddenly leaving the family destitute. Within a month, this young woman/child was on a ship to America as an indentured servant. Her story is not unique. Thousands of immigrants sold their very selves for a chance at a better life.

The voyages in those days were wrought with danger. People could die from something as benign as seasickness. Boatloads of passengers were in peril when ships caught fire or broke apart in storms. There was no guarantee of safe passage.

Her mother's burden is unimaginable! Grieving the loss of her husband and saying good-bye to their youngest child knowing she may never return are sacrifices most of us will never experience. Back then, as families said good-bye to their young during this mass movement from Europe, Scandinavia and Great Britain, a tradition (that began in Ireland) took hold. Families gathered for a final party knowing they may never see each other in this lifetime, thus the term Irish Wake.

It is moments like these that I wanted to capture in my writings and I encourage you to do the same. Our ancestor's stories are more than two dates on a tombstone. They are our children's legacy of courage and bravery; hopes and talents and dreams. I believe the stories of our forefathers should continue to live; to guide us . . .teach us . . . and encourage us to be our best.

If you'd like to read an example of how I transformed dreary notes into story form, please visit Amazon.com/author/joannglim for a closer look.  Good luck with your search and writings about your family and heritage.

Jo Ann V. Glim is a 40 year veteran of  freelance writing and author of the eBook "Begotten With Love." To learn more:

FOLLOW/Like: on Facebook or
VISIT: www.BEGOTTENtheBook.com or
BUY ON: Amazon.com/author/joannglim